1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for continuously manufacturing a tape strip folded about a ring, which is to be used as a connector between a frame and a sheet in a trampoline and between a bag and a band end, and also to a tape twist correcting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the conventional art, the above-described type tape strip folded about a ring is manufactured by severing a predetermined length off a continuous tape, inserting the thus obtained tape strip through the ring, and folding the tape strip through and about the ring outwardly. And in order to facilitate a subsequent sewing work, a laminate portion of the folded tape strip is provisionally secured with a thread, a staple or any other fastener to keep the tape strip in a folded form, which is performed manually.
FIG. 15 of the accompanying drawings shows a trampoline 1 in which the conventional type tape strips 10 each folded about a ring 12 are used as connectors between a circular or rectangular frame 1a and a sheet 1b of the same shape inside the frame 1a. For other purposes, these tape strips may be used as connectors between a bag and a band, for example. The laminate portion of a folded tape strip, which is similar to that of FIG. 14(B), is attached to the sheet 1b or the bag. In the trampoline 1, each ring 12 attached to the respective folded tape strip 10 is connected to the frame 1a via a spring 13. In the folded tape strip attached to the bag, the band is connected to the ring directly or by a non-illustrated swivel joint.
Generally, the ring 12 is a triangular or rectangular ring formed from a metal wire or molded of reinforced synthetic resin, and on the other hand, the tape strip 11 requires adequate strength and rigidity and is accordingly a thick woven, knit or non-woven cloth of fibers made of thermoplastic synthetic resin, such as polyamide, polyester or polypropylene, or a thermoplastic elastomeric resin tape having, as a core, a cloth of the above-mentioned kind.
According to the conventional technology, however, production of the tape strip folded about the ring chiefly relies on manual work and hence needs large manpower, which would be very inefficient. Further, since the thread and staple used in temporarily securing the folded tape strip are unnecessary in a final product, such as a trampoline, and especially in the case of the staple, such a fastener has to be removed from the folded tape strip by hand at the final stage of production, for preventing any injury of the user, thus lowering the productivity.
Further, when a continuous tape is drawn from a tape container, for example, in the production of the tape strip folded about the ring, the continuous tape tends to be twisted; this twist would be a large cause for hindering the continuous processing of the continuous tape.